Colby Soden, 13, a seventh-grade student at Baldwin Junior High, was honored with several awards during Baldwin Boy Scout Troop’s Court of Honor on Aug. 29 at the First United Methodist Church in Baldwin.

Soden earned the First Aid and Wood Carving merit badges and advanced to the rank of Tenderfoot. He earned six camping beads at the Theodore Naish Scout Reservation near Bonner Springs. Soden also earned the Polar Bear swim patch while at Camp Naish.

¢

Boy Scout Troop 65 elected new leaders Oct. 3. They are Trey Anderson, chaplain aide; Alex Coffey, troop guide; Justin Cook, scribe; Matt Davis, senior patrol leader; David Garrison, historian; Jake Hogsett, troop instructor; Brian Jones, quartermaster; Sam Richards, librarian; Kirsten Shuck, troop instructor; and James Simmons, assistant senior patrol leader.

¢

John Richards, Scoutmaster of Baldwin Boy Scout Troop 65, was inducted as a Vigil member of the Tamegonit Lodge 147 of the Order of the Arrow on Oct. 2.

The order is the national honor camping society of the Boy Scouts of America. Its members are selected for best representing the Scout oath and law in their daily lives and encouraging others to do so.

The Vigil Honor is the highest honor awarded within the order. Those who receive this honor first receive the Ordeal and Brotherhood Honors. A member of the order, called an “Arrowman,” who has served his or her fellows beyond the normal call of duty can be nominated for the Vigil Honor. Richards is the second Vigil Honor arrowman in the history of Troop 65. The first was Floyd Ford.

More than 150 Vigil Honor members of the order gathered at the Lake of the Forest Country Club to welcome 13 new inductees – including Richards – into the Vigil Honor. The event marked the 50th anniversary of the Vigil within the lodge.

The new Vigil Honor members will be presented to the entire lodge at the Winter Banquet on Jan. 7 at the Adams Point Convention Center in Blue Springs, Mo.

¢ Boy Scout Troop 55, chartered to the Westside Presbyterian Church of Lawrence, had a Court of Honor on Sept. 12 at Hidden Valley Camp.

The following boys earned rank advancements: Marshall Rawley, 2nd Class; Jeremy Woodhead, 2nd Class; Ludwig Johanning, 1st Class; Alan O’Neal, 1st Class; David Lawrence, Life.

Three new Eagle Scouts were recognized: Bryce Baringer, Brad Klug and Logan Marienau.

The following boys received one or more merit badges: Travis Andregg, Bryce Baringer, Drew Braden, Andrew Carttar, Patrick Carttar, Jacob Christilles, Kevin Cottrell, Keith Cowart, Phoenix DeLaConception, Kiefer Gibler, Josh Gore, Newt Heston, Ludwig Johanning, Ulrich Johanning, Elliot Johnson, Faraji Kendagor, Brad Klug, David Lawrence, Mitch McCune, Steve Norris, Alan O’Neal, Ted Olsen, Ian Patterson, Jacob Pfeifer, Isaac Remboldt, Isaac Rinke, Andrew Sigler, Joseph Vannicola and Jeremy Woodhead. Drew Braden completed the BSA Lifeguard requirements. Kevin Cottrell received the World Conservation Award.

At summer camp, Patrick Carttar, Mitch McCune and Alan O’Neal all completed the mile swim, while Wolfgang Johanning completed the requirements for kayak training.

The following Scouts completed junior leadership training: Newt Heston, Ludwig Johanning, Ulrich Johanning, Elliot Johnson, Faraji Kendagor, David Lawrence, Mitch McCune, Steve Norris, Marshall Rawley, Jacob Pfeifer, Isaac Remboldt, Isaac Rinke and Jeremy Woodhead.

The Troop also bid farewell to Faraji Kendagor, who is transferring to Troop 358 in Shawnee Mission.

¢ Venturing Crew 2052, chartered to the St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Lawrence, attended and participated in the Pelathe District Camporee Sept. 14-16 at Camp Bromelsick.

They participated in knife, ax and saw skills, orienteering, fire building, lashing, and dutch-oven cooking. They also competed in Mountain Ball and Capture the Flag.

After worship service, the youth participated in the annual “Scout Jamboree on the Air” by speaking on short wave radios to several other Scout groups around the world. Crew members participating included: Liz Ridenour, Christy Howard, Kathy Lewis, JoAnna Male and Kayla Chilcoat. They were accompanied by adult leaders Ralena McCurdy and Catherine Howard.

The Crew recently completed their “Good Turn for America” service project by making Flood Scrub/Cleanup Buckets for hurricane victims.

Crew 2052 is an all-female crew for women between the ages of 14 and 21. Interested persons should contact Ralena McCurdy at 542-3050 or attend the next Crew meeting at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church.

¢ Girl Scout Troops 738, 609 and 660 participated in service project work at Hidden Valley Camp on Oct. 8. The scouts helped seed the new vernal pond at Hidden Valley. Durand Reiber led the scouts with the help of Jill Baringer, Jordana Arnold, Audrey Taylor, Marcia West and Gayle Sigurdsonolder, Girl Scout advisers. Scouts participating in the project were Kate Baringer, Simone Hinojosa, Savanana Archer and Desiree Housworth, of Troop 738; Sunny Cavner, Grace Clark, Erica Hernly, Lena Hosking, Casey Hutchins, Maisie Hotvedt, Mikkayla Kunkle, Chelsea Sandy and Kelsey Taylor, of Troop 609; and Allison Burke, Meredith Burke, Grace Daniels and Lara Turner, of Troop 660.

¢ Joan Wagnon, former Girl Scouts of Kaw Valley Council board president, was elected to the GSUSA’s National Board during the Girl Scout National Convention in Atlanta. The Girl Scout National Board of Directors consists of 40 men and women with expertise in fields from technology to education. Wagnon is secretary of the Kansas Department of Revenue.

Among the delegates who represented Girl Scouts of Kaw Valley Council at the convention were Rebecca Gant and Diane Oakes, both of Lawrence. Girl Scouts of Kaw Valley Council serves Douglas County.